Airport CEO Larry Cox to Head Chamber Board

By Andy Meek

The Greater Memphis Chamber has a new chairman of the board. Larry Cox, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, has been elected by the chamber board to succeed former Smith & Nephew executive Joe DeVivo.

DeVivo now works for Albany, N.Y.-based medical device provider AngioDynamics.

Cox assumes the chairmanship Jan. 1.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to continue the momentum that this chamber has built over the past few years,” Cox said in a statement. “This year alone, the chamber has played a significant role in recruiting and retaining companies such as Electrolux, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc., KTG and Great American Steamboat Co. Whether through its Small Business Council, existing business team or community development programs, the Greater Memphis Chamber is at the forefront of economic development in Memphis and Shelby County.”

The chamber’s new chairman is an aviation industry expert, having served as the president of the airport authority since 1985. That fits the chamber’s push to help brand Memphis as “America’s Aerotropolis.”

In addition to his work with the airport authority, Cox has testified before Congress and is past chair of the American Association of Airport Executives, and he recently led the formation of an Energy Task Force responding to challenges caused by rising fuel costs.

For the past four years, he also has been at the forefront of the aerotropolis initiative and has served on the Aerotropolis Steering Committee.

Chamber President and CEO John Moore, himself a former airline executive with Northwest Airlines, described Cox as “one of the most respected businessmen in aviation and business development.”

In addition to Cox, the chamber board has elected the following officers: